Hogwarts: A Cinderella Story
by OceanHeart23
Summary: The only thing Ella wanted from Hogwarts was to make a friend if even only one.


A/N: This story was definitely inspired by SCSweetDude16's a different kind of magic with a Hogwart's AU for Kit and Ella. I would recommend checking it out.

Ella was no stranger to feeling unwanted. Before her mother died and her father remarried, it was an entirely unknown feeling. When her father died, and she was left to Lady Tremaine. Loneliness became her constant companion apart from her barnyard owl Gus. Ella had hoped Hogwarts would be different. She had been dreaming about going there from what felt like forever. In her mind it was a magical land, where she could finally feel like she belonged and accepted.

Her father was a wizard, but her mother was a muggle. Nonetheless they loved each other very much. Tremaine was appalled to find out that Ella was a half blood, although not as appalled as she would have been if Ella would have been muggle born. Both her and her daughters were pure-bloods and therefore in their minds superior to all.

Boarding the train Ella found herself stuck in the last compartment. It only had two boys which looked roughly around her age maybe a little bit older sitting across from each other. One of which was larger with dark skin and the other with dark brown hair and very blue eyes.

"I'm sorry." She began apologetically. "This is the last room available. Is it okay if I join you two?" As she dragged in her trunk behind her.

The boy with the blue eyes smiled at her kindly. "It's okay we don't mind. My name is Kit. What's yours?" Kit jumped to take her trunk. However his friend rolled his eyes and grabbed it instead to place up top on the luggage storage space. Kit shot him a look before turning back to Ella.

"My names Ella. It's nice to meet you both. What's your name?" Turning to face Kit's friend.

He also gave her a friendly grin. "Alistair and I'm going to guess to say that you must be a first year. It's been awhile since I've met someone so small and tiny, which is funny considering I was one about two years ago. Here take a seat."

Ella hesitated not sure which one to take before looking at Kit's hopeful face and took a seat next to him. He shot her a happy grin, which she eagerly returned. She might have just made her first friend! Maybe Hogwarts would be everything that she ever dreamed it would be.

Kit turned in his seat towards her. "So is this going to be your first year at Hogwarts?"

Ella nodded shyly looking at the ground fiddling with her shabby robes. "Yes is there anything I should know? How do you like it there?"

"Oh I believe you'll love it. Personally I think it's great. First you'll go through the sorting ceremony, where you'll find which house you're going to end up joining. Hopefully you'll be in Gryffindor which I believe is the best house, but that's probably just because we're in it. The professors are all pretty awesome apart from Professor Snape. He pretty much hates Gryffindor more than any other house. He's the head of Slytherin. The grounds are huge, and the classes aren't too bad. Have you ever ridden a broom before?"

Shaking her head a little embarrassed, Kit was quick to reassure her. "That's okay! Loads of kids haven't especially the muggleborn. Is that the reason?" He peered at her questionably.

"Actually I'm a half-blood my father was a wizard, but my mother was a muggle. My father never got around to teaching me and my stepmother...also never had the time."

"I'm a half-blood too." Alistair piped in. "Although in my case my dad is a muggle and my mom is a witch. Kit here can't relate, because he's from a long line of pure-bloods."

"That doesn't mean I hate half-bloods or muggleborns, nor do I think I'm better because I have different blood." Kit interjected angrily not wanting to make a bad impression on this new girl.

Alistair rolled his eyes. "I know Kit. I was just messing with you. Honestly Ella, Kit's probably one of the nicest pure-bloods you'll ever meet. He actually gives them a decent name unlike most of the Slytherin ones with their pure-blood elitist nonsense."

They were interrupted by the trolly cart full of treats. "Anything off of the trolly dears?" The elderly worker asked.

Ella stared longingly at the sweets. They all looked so delicious and smelled wonderful, but she didn't have any spare money and therefore shook her head regrettably.

Kit who had caught her sad crestfallen look made an executive decision. "I'd like one of everything please."

Looking over he caught sight of Ella's gobsmacked expression and Allistair's raised eyebrow. 'What he was just being a good friend. It wasn't like he couldn't afford it, and Ella shouldn't miss out on the joys that were a pumpkin pastry and chocolate frogs.'

The trolly witch handed over everything he asked for, after he paid for them of course. Kit laid them out on the empty seat next to Alistair and began to eagerly explain what each one was to a delighted Ella telling her to have anyone she wanted. She split a cauldron cake, pumpkin pastry, and chocolate frog with Kit along with one bite of a licorice wand. By the end Ella was absolutely stuffed almost veering towards sick.

Packing up the rest of the stacks Kit gave them to Alistair, so he could have them later. Ella took a chance took glance at the window. It was so exciting to watch the beautiful countryside. There were so many colors just like painting or illustration from one of her mother's books. She was caught off guard by a sudden yawn and heard a chuckle.

"Tired huh? You can take a nap if you want. We'll wake you up, when we arrive."

"Are you sure?" Ella asked hesitantly. It seemed a little rude of her not to use this opportunity to get to know her two new friends, but Kit was already nodding and in her excitement for today she didn't sleep very well last night.

"Of course here I'll move by Alistair, so you can sleep on the whole bench comfortably."

Alistair raised an eyebrow. "And if I wanted the whole bench to stretch out to sleep?"

Not missing a beat Kit replied. "Then you can stretch out comfortably on the floor my friend."

Alistair snorted with humor. "Glad to see how I rank on your priorities." Seeing the uneasy expression on Ella's face, Alistair sought to reassure her. "I'm kidding Ella you can absolutely have the bench. I'm not even tired anyways."

She hesitated for a few more seconds, before curling up on the bench and closing her eyes. After it was determined that she was definitely asleep, Kit got out on of the spare blankets in his trunk to cover Ella with.

* * *

Kit wanted to ignore the smirk he was being favored with, but realized he couldn't. "Yes?" He asked irritably.

"Oh nothing your majesty."

"Ugh what I have told you about calling me that."

"To call you that as often as possible and that it's your favorite nickname."

"Not sure how never call me that translated to that in your mind."

"Right,"Alistair's voice rang with the tolerant amusement, it often held with Kit. He changed the subject, before Kit could dwell too much on what he was inferring. "So what house do you think the hats going to put her in?"

Releasing a sigh Kit answered voicing his inner disappointment. "While it would be great if she were to be put in Gryffindor, I have a feeling she's going to be in Hufflepuff. They usually have a sort of gentle air about them. I could be wrong, but that's my guess. What about you? Where do you think she'll go?"

"Now you know I never like to assume. There are many times I've been wrong in guessing where a person will go or where they'll be sorted. Plus it does factor in the person's choice too. It said I could do well in Ravenclaw, and you were one of the few where the hat told you that you would do well in any of the four houses. Not many people have strong and diverse qualities to give them that option."

Kit rolled his eyes. "I still say that the only reason Slytherin was included is because I'm a pure-blood. Still I knew where I wanted to go. Gryffindor just always felt right to me like coming to a second home ya know?"

"Aye that I do understand. Well looks like we still have an hour or two, before we're there. Want me to teach you some more muggle card games? I think we could have some fun with poker and even have some gambling material with all these sweets."

With a slight shrug Kit agreed. There wasn't a whole lot he could think of doing to pass the time, and he enjoyed what Alistair had taught him so far like black jack, yuker, and rummy. A quick glance showed Ella still asleep. Hopefully she was ready for the excitement that would happen tonight. His sorting was definitely a night he wouldn't forget anytime soon.

Ella woke up just as they were stationed slightly disoriented. She found Alistair had already brought down her luggage, and also that an extra blanket was lain over her which was initialed. Blushing slightly she handed it back to Kit with a quiet thank you. Together they lead her over to where all the first years were. Regrettably they couldn't stay and had to get back to the rest of their own classes. She gave them a fierce hug, before they left surprising both of them. Yet they accepted it with tolerant amusement and returned it in kind.

* * *

The castle was actually hard to describe into words. It was indeed magnificent, but also massive and looked slightly intimidating. She didn't really get a chance to talk to anyone, before being introduced to professor Mcgonagall. She looked very stern and also a little scary, but she did seem to have slightly kinder eyes than her stepmother. With a brief speech on what they were to do and how they were to behave, the professor then lead them into the great hall.

The great hall fit more into the dreams Ella had when she was younger. There were floating candles decorating the sky and tables brimming with more food than she could have ever dreamed of. Most importantly everyone was given a family, and she wanted that more than anything.

Though by the time her name was called, Ella was shaking in fright. She slowly approached the stool and had the hat placed on her head. It freaked her out a bit having a voice suddenly talking to her in her head.

" _Yeah yeah you get used to it. Now! Where to put you? You're certainly patient, loyal, and very hardworking. But I see_ _an elevated level of_ _intelligence and what's this? Some hidden courage as well perhaps. You'd certainly do best and thrive in Hufflepuff. However I could see you cultivate what you have in Ravenclaw or Gryff_ _i_ _ndor. What do you say_?"

"Umm ..I would like to go to Gryffindor if you would please sir." At least there she knew two people who would be kind and accept her.

" _So polite well if that's how you feel then I'm going to say GRYFF_ _I_ _NDOR_!" The whole Gryffindor table burst into thunderous applause. Ella broke into a beaming grin giggling as it continued for a beat. When the hat was taken off of her head, she quickly began speed-walking to where she had seen Kit and Alistair who looked excited and happy for her. However before she could reach them she tripped as she found her shoelaces suddenly tied together. Ella didn't even have to look over at the Slytherin table to know who had done it.

Kit got up an ran over to help her get them untied glaring over at the Slytherin table. One of the girls rolled her eyes. "Oh quit glaring Kit I used a cushioning charm, so she's fine besides at least you don't have to deal with Drizzelda and Anastasia. It's not like we wanted them either." Hearing matching loud "Heys!" in echo to that.

Ignoring that although inwardly grateful Kit turned his attention to Ella who was now properly freed from her shoelace prison. "Are you okay?" He asked in concern.

Ella nodded in shame a little embarrassed that everyone had seen that. "I'm alright thank you."

Kit stood up and extended a hand to Ella for her to take. She did and was gracefully hoisted up and lead over to a spare seat next to Kit and across from Alistair. Before she sat down she turned her attention to the girl who spoke up earlier from the Slytherin table.

"Umm excuse me?"

The girl raised a slight eyebrow in question. "Yes?"

"Thank you for what you did earlier. It was very kind of you. I hope we can become friends in the future."

The girl snorted slightly before answering and going back to her food. "You get one pass welcome to Hogwarts."

Ella looked at Alistair and Kit who were clinking their goblets before ducking her head to smile and thinking to herself. 'I got my wish father and as long as I'm here I must never forget to have courage and be kind just as mother said. Maybe in exchange for everything Hogwarts will teach me, that could be something I could teach to them in return.'


End file.
